Bachelors

Real Name: Colneth Cluskey

Birth Date: 18th March 1941

Birth Place: Dublin

Declan Cluskey

12th December 1942

Dublin

Sean (John) Stokes

13th August 1940

Dublin

The Bachelors were not from the same
rock and roll mould that cast most of the other groups of the
early and mid-1960s. They began as a trio of harmonica players
in Dublin calling themselves the Harmony Chords. Unlike almost
every other group of the time they had no guitarist, but eventually
concentrated on singing. They recast themselves as a folk group
and changed their name to the 'Bachelors' (though all of them
married early in life).

Decca, who at about this time had turned
down the Beatles, awarded them a recording contract despite (or
because of) the fact that the Irish trio were a long way from
other mainstream groups of the time. Their first release was
a revival of the old song 'Charmaine'. Amazingly, this turned
out to be a winning formula and the record reached the UK #6
position. Despite having difficulty with their immediate follow
up to this success, a string of further hits followed. Their
strident folkish vocals brought them a further seven top ten
hits including 'Diane' which reached the #1 spot. They also took
the honours in Britain with their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's
'Sounds Of Silence'.

The EP featured on the right (DFE8595) is probably the most easy
Bachelors release that can be found on that format. It simply
contains some of the group's most successful numbers already
available as the 'A' sides from their singles.

The trio successfully maintained their
popularity on the cabaret circuit for many years, doing so without
change of personnel. Then in 1984 an embittered John Stokes split
from the group in circumstances that led to a legal settlement
and the subsequent creation of the 'New Bachelors'. However,
John Stokes has since teamed up with Jonathan Young and former
Karl Denver Trio guitarist Kevin Neill and they can be found
together as a revitalised Bachelors.

1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

Listings include UK 45 singles releases
only

Collector's Items are shown In Red

See lower list for EP releases

Decca F11559

1962

Charmaine/ Old Bill

#6

Decca F11666

1963

Faraway Places/ Is There A Chance

#36

Decca F11712

1963

Whispering/ No Light In The Window

#18

Decca F11772

1963

Long Time Ago/ The Angel And The Stranger

Decca F11799

1964

Diane/ The Stars Will Remember

#1

Decca F11857

1964

I Believe/ Happy Land

#2

Decca F11910

1964

Ramona/ Sweet Lullabies

#4

Decca F11949

1964

I Wouldn't Trade You For The World/ Beneath The Willow Tree

#4

Decca F12034

1964

No Arms Could Ever Hold You/ Oh Samuel Don't Die

#7

Decca F12108

1965

True Love For Ever More/ Far Far Away

#34

Decca F12156

1965

Marie/ You Can Tell

#9

Decca F12256

1965

In The Chapel In The Moonlight/ The Old Wishing Well

#27

Decca F12309

1965

Hello Dolly/ There's No Room In My Heart

#38

Decca F12351

1966

The Sound Of Silence/ Love Me With All Your Heart

#3

Decca F12417

1966

Can I Trust You/ Who Can I Turn To

#26

Decca F12523

1966

Walk With Faith In Your Heart/ Molly Malone

#22

Decca F22592

1967

Oh How I Miss You/ Ghost Mountain

#30

Decca F22634

1967

Marta/ My World

#20

Decca F22689

1967

3 O'Clock Flamingo Street/ Learn To Live Without You

Decca F22719

1968

If Ever I Would Leave You/ Cabaret

Decca F22757

1968

The Unicorn/ You've Got To Say We're Through

Decca F22814

1968

I'll Walk With God/ I Can't Wish You Any More

Decca F22839

1968

Turn Around Look At Me/ Lovers Such As I

Decca F22911

1969

Where The Blue Of The Day/ Caterina

Decca F22946

1969

Punky's Dilemma/ Arrivederci Maria

Decca F22965

1969

Everybody's Talkin'/ Blaydon Races

Decca F22982

1969

My First Love/ Phil The Fluter

EP Discography

Collector's Items are shown In Red

See Upper List For Singles releases

Decca DFE8529

1963

"Bachelors"

#5

Charmaine/Bashanova/I'll See You In My Dreams/By The Light Of
The Silvery Moon

Decca DFE8564

1964

"Bachelors Vol.2"

#7

Diane/Put Your Arms Around MeHoney/Moments To Remember/You'll
Never Walk Alone

Decca DFE8595

1964

"The Bachelors' Hits"

#1

I Wouldn't Trade You For The World/Whispering/Ramona/I Believe

Decca DFE8637

1966

"The Bachelors' Hits Vol.2"

#9

No Arms Can Ever Hold You/True Love For Evermore/Marie/In The
Chapel In The Moonlight